Giving a speaker to your child opens up a world of exploration through music and audiobooks. They can listen to tunes while playing, share their favorites with friends, and hold dance parties in their bedrooms. Stories and podcasts will take them to new worlds, both real and imagined. And when it’s time for bed, they can drift off to soothing sleep sounds, lullabies, or sleep stories. I’ve tried a string of different speakers with my kids over the years and found them fun, helpful, and a great way to cut down on screen time. These are our favorites.
Check out our guides to the Best Bluetooth Speakers, Best Smart Speakers, Best Wireless Headphones, and Best Headphones for $100 or Less for more.
Special offer for Gear readers: Get a 1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com and our print magazine (if you’d like). Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.
If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more. Please also consider subscribing to WIRED